Reply #70: Here's my problem with your argument.

[bklyncowgirl]

Yes, it's true that Kerry supporters denounced the ads and that John McCain called upon Bush to shut down the swiftboaters. Yes, it's true that the media gave the Swiftboaters free rein to spew their venom and yes.

What I heard from people who were not fans of Bush but unsure about Kerry was that they saw a guy back down in the face of a vicious attack on his military service. That was a blood libel and and, as one Vietnam vet said to me, "If anyone said I didn't win my purple heart fairly I would shove my fist down his throat." While I know that my friend eventually did vote for Kerry--in part because he hated Bush--and also in part because I was able to point him toward articles that proved Kerry right.

Still in the end the impression that Kerry, was in my friend's words "no ball of fire" hurt him in an election where people were looking for someone to protect them.

In my opinion, Kerry needed to slap down the swiftboaters and he needed to do it personally. He needed to slap down George W. Bush and do it personally and he needed to have a clear consistent message.

I like Kerry--he was my first choice in the primaries although I also came to like Dean a great deal and am not sure how I would have voted if I lived in a state where my primary vote counted. I worked for and donated to the campeign.

That doesn't mean I should never criticize the man.